A couple of weeks later, Kevin Durant is still wrapping his mind around Russell Westbrook's NBA retirement. From co-stars to sworn enemies, those two era-defining NBA superstars will have their stories tied with each other for the rest of eternity.
After initially writing a heartfelt letter about his time with Westbrook, Durant dove into further detail about his retirement in his 'Boardroom Talks' podcast. The 37-year-old admitted that's the first time he felt his true basketball mortality. As Westbrook is the first of several big-time names from the 2010s who hung up their sneakers for good.
"It just hit me, man. Because that’s one of the first dudes you come in with and was around every day to finally step out of this s--t. You know what I’m
saying?," Durant said. "A lot of guys that’s been younger than me or drafted after me have retired, but I wasn’t as close to them as I was to Russell. Sharing the same."
Westbrook called it a career on Aug. 12. The future Hall-of-Famer played for 18 seasons. In his epic career, he will mostly be remembered for his time on the Oklahoma City Thunder. During those 11 seasons, he turned into one of the biggest names in the NBA in the 2010s. When you think of that era, he's one of the five guys you associate with that decade the most.
Westbrook was a one-time MVP winner, a nine-time All-Star and a nine-time All-NBA member. He grabbed two scoring titles and three assist titles. The all-time triple-double leader completely redefined the mythology surrounding that statistical achievement. Oh, and he helped put the Thunder on the NBA map as a constant contender — alongside Durant.
You can write a whole novel about Durant's and Westbrook's relationship. The dynamic duo defined OKC's first title contender. Sure, they never brought home a Larry O'Brien trophy, but an NBA Finals trip and four Western Conference Finals appearances in an eight-year span is the type of rich success plenty of other franchises yearn for.
Once Durant decided to shockingly join the Golden State Warriors, his relationship with Westbrook took a 180. From best buddies to scorned ex-lovers. Anytime those two matched up on opposite sides of the court, it was must-see TV and usually in front of a national audience.
As tragic as their tale might've ended, Durant and Westbrook are one of the more Hollywood-esque pairings in NBA history. When those two walked into a room or were shown on TV, everybody paid attention. They went on to become global celebrities in a small-market franchise. Something most didn't believe was possible before the social-media boom.
I think Father Time will look fondly on what those two accomplished in OKC. Ringless and all. Durant and Westbrook are NBA superstars whose weird mesh of contradictory superpowers somehow worked. Eight seasons of high-quality basketball set the stage for the Thunder's eventual golden age in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. And I think the fanbase will agree with that. Even if feelings are still hurt a decade later from how it ended.
"As somebody I felt like can still, you know what I’m saying? It surprised me. So, yeah, it was one of those things that you can appreciate all the time spent," Durant said. "And somebody like Russ, who’s doing a lot off the court too. I want to see what he does next."
KD says Russ retiring hit him hard 😢
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) August 27, 2026
(Via @boardroom / h/t @NBA__Courtside ) pic.twitter.com/DjAyc2onRq
This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Kevin Durant talks more about Russell Westbrook's retirement: 'It just hit me'
